310 The Four-Year Degree Alternative: Accelerating Growth with IT Certification
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM ET
Tuesday, December 5
As organizations continue to shift working models and the demand for tech skills grows, employers increasingly find themselves struggling with talent shortages and skills gaps, preventing them from realizing efficiency and revenue goals alike.
The traditional four-year college degree is no longer the only entry point into the professional workforce. IT certifications are welcomed by many employers as a viable alternative to the conventional college degree. They can also provide paths to employment for individuals looking to jumpstart their careers after high school, while avoiding significant debt due to crippling college loans. Meanwhile, employers reap the benefits of a certified team member—higher productivity, greater efficiency, and stronger mentoring skills.
In this session you will learn:
- What’s driving the ever-increasing IT skills gap
- Why traditional college coursework isn’t filling it
- The implications of failing to address that skills gap, including the alarming number of jobs that may go unfulfilled
- How IT certifications can meet the needs of both individuals and employers
John Casella
National Director
JobWorks
John Casella has nearly 16 years of experience designing, leading, and implementing innovative workforce services and programs, including those in IT. John provides oversight, performance management, and strategic direction of the JobWorks Education & Training division, where he helps to bridge the tech talent gap across the US. John contributes to the management and development of JobWorks virtual products and platforms, including the JobWorks Virtual Job Fair Platform, Learning Management System, and more.
Bryan Ochs
IT-Pro Territory Manager
Pearson VUE
Bryan Ochs is a veteran of the training and certification industry, with over 20 years of experience in product development, channel development, and partner management. At Pearson VUE, Bryan leads efforts to create new products and services to increase the number of candidates certifying across all exams.
Scott Thompson
IT-Pro Territory Manager
Pearson VUE
Scott Thompson has 16+ years of experience in the credentialing and assessment industry. He currently serves as an IT-Pro Territory Manager with Pearson VUE, where he helps empower learners with world class learning materials and certification.
Jaimie Winkel
Marketplace Diversity Manager
TEKsytems
Jaime Winkel is a marketplace diversity manager at TEKsystems, responsible for leading DEI collaboration across TEK’s customer base. Jaime’s passion, and the mission of the Marketplace Diversity team at TEK, is to drive positive impact in our communities and create opportunity in technology for people from historically marginalized groups in equitable and inclusive ways. Jaime has worked in technology at TEKsystems since 2006 and sits in Columbus, Ohio.